Arrangement for covering ship hulls



Dec. 7, 1948.

E. LOEWENSTEIN ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERING SHIP HULLS Filed Feb. 28, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Deg. 7, 1948. E. LAOEWENZSTEIN I ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERING SHIP BULLS,

- Filed Feb. 28,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 q 3 Z 5 2/ n Patented Dec. 1, Q1948 i 2,455,593

forprot ectirig f" Figl 6 is fragmental sectional view showing another form of attachmentof the top edges of *An object r the invention s eprevrdepreteesheets tothe ship, which form ispreferabIyused the materialof such coversbeing of suchnature topedges of the protective sheets.

tion for the bottomand sideplatings of 'ships, up in connection with newly built ships.

to the waterline by layers or protectiveimaterial, Fig; 7 isanother modified form of holding as to ofier smooth surfacesso asto materially Fig. 8 is'a fragmental view of the clamping diminish the friction between the ship and the meansfor, adjacent edges of the protective sheets water. i

on newly constructed ships, designed forthe ise j Particularly, an object of the inventio n is to ofsuch protective sheets. t i provide an arrangement for protecting the ,bot- Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional view ofanother tom and side platings of shipsbelow the waterline form of clamping for the meeting edges of ad- *by applying to said portions of the ship strips of Ijaceiit sheets. 3

waterproof smooth material so as to have said Fig. 10 isstill another form o c p h sheets or strips completely conform tothe curvame ting edges of adjacent sheets to the ship, ,a nd ture of the sides and bottom orlthe shinami to t Fi 1 is ape sp t ves owhat d a rammatic hold the sheets in such position, yet permitting view 1 i the step of the method for applying the the easy replacement of s ch covering sheets. Sh tstr th Si S ft shipl Another object of theinvent ion is toprovide e In my m d o app yi g protective v n s protective covering for the sides and bottom of a "toships below the waterline; theplatesjoftheship shipin the forrnofsheetswhich are securely held are, first clean d n the suei manner. In the friction surfacein the water.

in place, fully conforming to the curvature and v nt the p ot t e h ts re pp to, old shape of the ship, andpresenting a smooth antish psgnatilrallythe bottom and'sides of the ships rrrustbecleaned of weeds, barnacles and 'ot her accumulations. Inthe event that the covering Other objects of the invention together; with t foregoing wm s t forth t follbwiflg is applied to newships, the usual cleaning of the j ription of the preferred method, and thepreplates as now done suff ces. i i

ferred embodiment of means for practicingjthe Thesheets or films used for covering the same, which isillustrated inthedrawings'accome w erpor io gof s p ma be of ariou .panying, and forming part eftiief peeiii etien. typ sof w tom m l of t yp wh h s I tis to be understood that, I d not limit myse lf notafiectedf by sea water and, which provide an to the embodiment disclosedin said description absolutely smooth surface. It is preferable that and the drawings as I may adoptvariatiorisof my 51 mat r a be b e, such as sheets or films preferred formswithinthe scope of my invention. of p1asticiIt*is also p e able, in connection Preferred embodiments offlmy invention} are witficrtainsteps of my meth d t e, matewherein: t t t t r t t t heat and harder! after cooling. Methyimeth- Fig. 1 is a side viewof a ship Showing s e h t acrylate, for instance is a suitable material ,for diagrammatically the arrangement of the proq e tective sheets on the sides and bottom of a ship. 4 i The sheets ofmaterial are placed upon'theship the section being taken on lines'2-2 of Fig. 1.

being taken in lines 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view of a form t in the o l m Horizontal ip of securing means for the top edges ofthe sheets, sheets qfmaterial are placed from one side of the bow and around the bowto the other sidein Fig. 3 is afragrnentalsectiorial view showingan M parallel adjacenthorizontal strips. The stern illustrative embodiment oi thdsecuringfof ad-, 4: of the ship is similarly protected; These sheets jacent vertical edges of the heets, the section of material are bent or shaped to conform to the t t shape of the bowor stern respectively over. the Fig. 4 is a fragmentalsectionalviewshowing same streamlined or sharp bow or stem as that the holdingof adjacent hoi'izontal edges of the of the ship. Over these bow and stern pieces are taken on lines 4-4 of Fig.1.

protective sheets on the ship, the section being placedthehorizontal side sh'eets made of suitable t t widthjand ie gm for convenient, handling. At vFig. 5 is a fragmental side view showing the the bottom or keel of the ship, the strips are arrangement of the vertical and horizontal hO1d-, againplaced around from one side of the keel ing flanges at 1 the meeting edges of adjacent jurider andoverto the other side of the keel so as sheets. i v tocompletely cover the extremebottompf the iii a 3 ship. The bottom and side sheets extend contiguously along the whole length of the ship on each side from bow to stem.

The sheets are secured in place by various suitable steps, suitable adhesive may be used on the inner surfaces of the sheets so that they adhere to the metal plates of the ships or to the underlying sheets of protective covering. The method as shown in Fig. .11, shows one mode-of application of heat for shaping the sheets to the outline of the ship.

The sheet I is unrolled on the side of the ship 2 a pressure roller 3 is rolled 0V.er...the..sheet l This roller 3 has a heating element'therein, not;

shown. The heating element may be electrical, or any other suitable type. of a heat conducting material. .In this form the which are urged by springs 1 against the roller 3,

sheet ll is 'to be placed. .As the. roller 3 ,isrolled over the sheets at a moderate speed lit heatsthe plastic sheet I and thus the sheet will be pliable to the contour of theship. Also, if thereis any adhesive .used .on said covering sheet I, the same under the heat will becomeamone.adhesivetand will hold the plateintplacer g .In the event the mechanical attachment or securing of the sheets I is desirable, .therespee- .tiveedges of the protectivesheets I can be secured by suitable stretching clamping mechanismsv which are prefer-ably releasable so as .to facilitate removal and replacement of the respective protective sheets. Whenthe mechanical {stretching and clamping means are used;..f or holding the edges of the sheets and the sheets in ,place, the steps-of the method include the stretching-of the sheets by means of these clamping mechanisms so as to stretch .them over into close contact with the plates which they cover. In addition, the heating and pressure roller 3 may the and is usually applied to have a closer conformance to the contour of the ship.

The bow sheets 18,, .as previously explainedextend .from one side to the .otherside of. the ship across and .over the how. These bow sheets 8 are covered by the sidesheets I which overlie the bow sheets 8 adjacent the bowel the ship. ,Simi-lar arrangement .is providedat the stern of the ship.

,In connection with the ships alneadYbpilt, the securing and stretching mechanisms are attached to the ship by welding or othersuitablemanner. Inthe herein form for the top horizontal edges of the sheets I, .a flange 9 is welded all along the full length of the ship on both side at-aboutlthe water line. This flange 9; extends away-from the plate .I I of the ship and has a downward .rimiZ spaced from the plate .11. This rim I2 i inclined outwardly and away from the plate III. so that the space between the plate I I and the flange rim I2 converges upwardly. A wedge block .l3is inserted in the space between the platei I and the flan e I2 and is jammed tightly in place in any suitable manner, such as .by a bolt or screw I4, w ich latter has its headon the outside of the top of the flang 9 .for convenient access. The top edge of the sheet I is played around the top side of the wedge block I3 so thatas the wedge block I3 is drawn tightly into the .tapering space between the plate II and the flan e. 'riml I2; the dge oi the sheet I is tightly jammedin The roller '3 :is fin'rade.

4 If it is necessary, a waterproofing seal may be provided as a coating on this portion of the sheet I so as to positively prevent the seepage of water into and through this clamping device. In this manner the upward stretching of the covering sheets I is accomplished. At the lower edge of the sheet I and at the top edge of the keel sheets I6, or between adjacent horizontal edges of the adjacent ,rstrips ipr sheets; 'a"'d oub1e clamping mechahis'rn is utilized. An illustrative embodiment is shown in Fig. 4 where the side sheet I is 2'I. The downwardly extended rim flange 22 of "the retainer "-fiange I8 diverges downwardly from the plate I I .so as to provide a tapering space 23 pressure roller is carred on a frame 4 and p're'ssure is exerted on the roller by roller plungers 5:

.means or ascrew .qrbolt :2I

between the plate and the lower rim flange 22. A wedge block 24 is tightly wedged into the space between the rim flange 22 and the plate II by The top edge-ofthe keel shee't I6 is played arounded the wedgelblock 2.4 so. .astohetightly jammed in :placeand stretch .thekeel Tsheet upwardly and tightly around the keelof the-ship...

. The ,vertical' .edges of the adjacent sheets I or keelsheets .Iifi arestretched and clamped together .by'doubieclamp elements inthe ,form of :double retaining flanges 26 as shown in Fig. 3. These double .retainingflanges .26 extend vertically :between the .vertical edges .of the adjacent strips of material. Eachlof these double retaining flanges .Zlil anesiderim flanges .2FI. which extend in spaced relation to the plate .IlI vertically intersecting. the horizontal flange arrangements hereftotore liescribe'dsubstantially in the manner shown in Fig. 5. The respective rim flanges 21 arealso inclined with respect to the plate .II so .to provide oppositely tapering vertical spaces 2.8. In each'tapering space 281s wedged a wedging block 2.9;Iaround which latter is placed the verticalfledge o'f-gthe respective sheet I .or keel sheetlli. QEach. wedge block 2B.is tightened in place by a suitable screw or .bolt 3i: By the clamping. of the vertical edges of the protecting sheets .thislmanner .the sheets .I or. the keel sheetsli'lt v are stretched horizontally. By thus clamping stretching the respective protecting sheets and the'a'dfled applicationof the heated roller thelshee'ts will truly conform to the stream- ,line'lor contempt the ship as designed. The same 'cansltruction'is repeated throughout and around theship as ireguently or as spaced as needed in accordance with the -length andwidth of the strips and materials used.

fThe clamping oi the protecting sheets to .pre-

fabricated part's'of ships in the course of building .can be accomplished in .such a manner as to conc'eal the clamping mechanism within the streamline of theship an i thereby avoiding-anymotruding parts. Various illustrations of :such eonthe sheets will. lie. Into these indents are clamped wedging,h1ocks;.34 are tightened and held in place;-by.suita ble screws or bolts 35. The edge of the sheet I can be placed around the indentf's bottom as shown in Fig. 6 and then tightly clamped hy the wedge block 34.

. Another. streamlined application is shown in Fig. 7 where the sheet I is extended over the outside of the wedge block 34 and then around the top of the wedge block 34 downwardly over the indent 33 into a substantially complete loop and then clamped in place. In this form the outside surface of the wedge block 34 is also protected. It is to be noted that in all these forms the wedge block 34 is in the form of a strip extending the full length of the indents 33, or it may be made of shorter sections clamped in place contiguously in the indents 33. The same structure can be used for securing two adjacent edges of adjacent sheets as shown in Fig. 8. In this form the edges are extended inside the indent 33 and over the bottom of said indent and then the wedgeblock 34 is clamped over both edges which extend from both directions of the sheets I and thus hold the edges of two adjacent sheets in place.

In Fig, 9, the same arrangement is shown substantially as in Fig. 8 except that two clamping blocks or strips 37 are used, one for the lower and one for the upper edges of the covering sheets I. The two clamping blocks or strips 31 are tightened and secured in place by separate sets of suitable bolts or screws38. In Fig. the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 is shown in application Where each of the sheets I has its respective edge played entirely around the respective wedging or clamping block 31 into opposite loops and then the whole unit is tightened in place by the aforesaid screws or bolts 38.

While various forms of attachment of the invention are herein illustrated and others may be used, in general the object is accomplished by stretching and shaping the sheets over the plates of the ship either in prefabricated parts or units or in completedor even in older ships to securely and completely cover and protect the plates. The sheets can be removed and replaced by loosening the respective clamps or by stripping them off and replacing them with other sheets which, in

, the presence of heat will be pliant and conform and adhere to the plates of a ship. The applying and replacing of such protective sheets is a simple operation. It entirely eliminates the scraping of the bottoms of the ships, it eliminates the usual evils of painting, it provides a smoother surface than painting. The smooth surface that can be obtained by sheets herein described improves the efficiency of the ship because of diminished friction.

I claim:

1. A protective covering for the outside surface of the underwater portion of a ship, comprising a plurality of water resistant sheets of smooth outer surface laid on said surface to cover the same, and securing elements on the side of the ship and along the edges of the respective sheets to tightly hold said sheets and seal said edges thereof, said securing means including a system of flanges on the sides of said ship forming a system of channels of tapering cross section, and clamp elements holding the respective edges of said sheets wrapped around the sides of the clamp element in contact with said channel and being wedged into the respective channels.

2. A protective covering for the outside surface of the underwater portion of a ship, comprising a plurality of water resistant sheets of smooth outer surface laid on said surface to cover the same, and securing elements on the side of the ship and along the edges of the respective sheets to tightly hold said sheets and seal said edges thereof, said securing means including a system of flanges on the sides of said ship forming a system of channels of tapering cross section, and clamp elements holding the respective edges of said sheets against and wedged into the respective channels, and means to detachably fasten said clamp elements into said channels.

ERNST LOEWENSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 193,814 Graves Aug. 7, 1877 1,272,373 Brunson July 16,1918 1,322,348 Rosenhain et a1. Nov. 18, 1919 1,638,817 Atwood Aug. 16, 1927 1,662,018 Van Orman Mar. 6, 1928 1,848,018 Maranville Mar. 1, 1932 1,996,951 Clark et al Apr. 9, 1935 2,147,620 Winkelmann et al. Feb. 14, 1939 2,263,511 Lindsay Nov. 18, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 373,666 Great Britain June 2, 1932 

